Cutshaw's late heroics sink Mars Hill, 67-61

Brevard, N.C. - Alyssa Cutshaw drained a three-pointer from the right wing to put the Tornados up 65-61 in the final minute and hit a pair of free throws in the closing seconds as the Tornados fought back from a double-digit deficit in the last eight minutes to defeat the visiting Mars Hill Lions on Saturday afternoon, 67-61.

Kristen Metcalf hit a pair of three-pointers to put the Lions (11-12, 4-10 SAC) up 53-41 with 8:37 remaining in the contest, but Cutshaw answered with a three-pointer on the Tornados (6-16, 1-13 SAC) as the Tornados battled back, tying the game up at 58 apiece with 2:54 to play on a pair of Lindsay Brendle free throws. Metcalf hit a three-pointer with 1:25 remaining to give Mars Hill the lead, but Schlobohm put the Tornados ahead with a layup with 1:02 left in the contest, setting the stage for Cutshaw’s dagger from behind the arc.

Schlobohm led Brevard with 20 points in the contest, going 8-for-14 from the floor as Brevard shot 43.1 percent (25-58) as a team for the game. Micheala Watkins was 7-for-8 from the field in finishing with 15 points, while Brendle and Cutshaw were both in double-digits with 14 and 13 points apiece as the Tornados took home the South Atlantic Conference victory.

Metcalf led all scorers in the contest for the Lions, connecting on six three-pointers as Mars Hill shot 39.0 percent (23-59) from the floor in the game. Danielle Tucker added 15 points and two blocked shots, while Jackie Simon pulled down 12 rebounds and had three assists in the Lions defeat.

Tucker and Metcalf scored six points apiece in the first five minutes as the Lions jumped out to a 16-4 lead at the 15:20 mark as Metcalf connected on her second three-pointer of the game giving Mars Hill the early edge. The Tornados battled back with a 19-6 run of their own, setting the stage for a back-and-forth first half as Brevard took their first lead of the contest at 23-22 on a Brendle layup at the 7:05 mark.

Tucker tied the game up for the first time with 4:34 to play, driving in for the layup and three-pointers by Cutshaw and Ansley Ricker kept the game knotted up at 30 apiece. Metcalf was able to send the Lions into the halftime break with a lead, hitting a free throw with 0.3 seconds on the clock, giving Mars Hill the 31-30 advantage.

Watkins opened the second half by giving the Tornados the lead as the junior point guard drove in for the layup to put the Tornados on top with 19:48 to play, but Deal and Tyler Carlson kept the Lions on track, tying the game up at 34 apiece with 18:17 on the clock.

Mars Hill broke the tie by going on a 19-7 run as Deal scored six consecutive points and Metcalf drained a pair of three-pointers, with the latter giving the Lions the 53-41 lead with 8:37 left in the contest.

The Tornados battled back, going on a 17-5 run, cutting the lead down to one point on a Schlobohm three-pointer from the left corner with 4:01 to play, before Brendle tied the game up with a pair of free throws at the 2:54 mark, setting the stage for Cutshaw’s late game heroics.

Brevard returns to the road in South Atlantic Conference play as they travel to Harrogate, Tenn. to take on Lincoln Memorial University on Wednesday, February 15th. Tipoff between the Tornados and the Railsplitters in Tex Turner Arena is set for 6 p.m.